Chapter 23

<Kara's POV>

I was starting to get anxious. I wanted to give Brandon little space but he was with Tina and it worried me.

I knew it wasn't a good idea to ask Tina to tag along for this kind of an event. If only Brandon had asked me first, I would've said no without thinking twice. I had this annoying feeling inside my head since Brandon told me he was going with Tina. I knew something was going to be off. I sensed it.

Oh to hell with it! I'm going there right now. I can't wait anymore.

Taking a bus because I didn't have a car, I went to the area which were the resting place of the two loving women in Brandon's life. Walking through the grassy path, I saw a glimpse of my best friend sitting alone cross legged on the floor in front of the picture of his sister Olivia, talking to her.

"You're not mad at me for bringing her, are you?" He posed a question to the tombstone before him, not noticing I was standing a few feet behind.

Trying not to make so much noise I sat on the grass beside him. He didn't bother to look at me or even say hi but I knew he could tell who it was.

"You were right Kara. I did a stupid thing." Brandon muttered looking down at his fingers as they fiddled with the grass.

"Will you be okay now to tell me what happened?" I turned to him and asked, concerned that he had tear stains on his cheeks.

He was crying. He rarely cries. Something big must've happened.

I swear to God Tina if this has the slightest thing to do with you, I'm gonna kill you.

No one can make my best friend cry and get away with it until I'm alive.

NO ONE!

"Maybe later. Just let me be like this for a minute." Brandon took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers while placing his head on my shoulder.

I hate to see him like this...

I can't believe someone so positive like Brandon could be this vulnerable and it hurts me...

We stayed like that in a comfortable silence surrounding us for I don't know how long, sitting on the grass holding hands.

"I'm over Tina."

Brandon spoke up suddenly still not looking up, his head on my shoulder. His words got me by surprise and made me slightly happy but I didn't say anything knowing that he would prefer to be uninterrupted.

"She wasn't the one from the start. It was just a passing infatuation and stupid me made the worst mistake by bringing her here to meet Olivia."

He scoffed at himself while I continued to listen quietly.

"She... she called Olivia a 'mummy'."

"WHAT?!"

I couldn't hold back hearing that. My eyes widened at the rude remark and I could feel my blood boiling. Brandon lifted his head up to face me but didn't let go of my hand. I stared at him with an unbelievable expression on my face. He just nodded slightly before resuming his story.

"We came here and I introduced mom and Olivia to her. She stared at the tombstones for sometime before turning to me with a why-are-we-here kind of look and I was really surprised. Because normally, people just talk to the grave or something but instead, Tina got angry.

She asked if I'm having fun bringing her here to look at two mummies hoping that she would pretend to be sad. I felt like someone had stabbed me because although Olivia is not here physically, she's someone I love and care so much. Even more than my mom sometimes, you know it. So hearing such cruel words made me furious.

If Tina hadn't been a girl, I would've punched her in the face immediately. I told her that I shared my sorrows with her and if she was gonna be this way, she can just walk away and I wouldn't stop her. I was done putting up with her. Hearing that I won't be talking to her anymore crumpled her face but I didn't care. She stomped away leaving me a alone. Thankfully."

Brandon sighed just as he was done and I couldn't even imagine how much he must've been hurt hearing that his mom and sister were 'mummies'. His face was dark and the sight just made me feel like I'm suffocated. I felt the need to cheer him up somehow.

"Brandon?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember how I agreed to be your experimental girlfriend unless it involved 10 years in prison?"

"What about it?" He looked at me puzzled, a sign his mind his getting off of the incident a few hours ago.

"Well I think I might have to go against my own principles."

"Umm why?"

"Because the next time I see Tina, I'm gonna kill her at first sight."

Gladly, Brandon burst out laughing at my little joke, which I didn't mean to be one, making me smile too. I just love seeing him laughing and smiling. It warms up my heart so much.

"What are you laughing at? I wasn't joking!!"

I said through my own smiles and he laughed more. It had been another few minutes until we both were done and got up to go home as it was getting late.

"Bye sis! Bye mom! I'll see you both later." Brandon waved at the pictures of Olivia and Mrs.Foster before going to his car.

"See you Olivia and Mrs. Foster! Don't worry I'll take a good care of Brandon!"

I muttered to the pictures and joined my best friend in his car. I was so happy I didn't need to take the bus home. We sang along to the radio during the ride home and instead of dropping me off at my house, Brandon kept driving.

"Where are we going?"

"You're staying with me tonight." He showed off a cheesy smile.

"This is illegal you know."

"What, making my best friend stay at my house for the night?" He rolled his eyes.

"No, kidnapping."

"Don't you know, I've always liked to do wrong things." He said making us both laugh.